Micrografting Completely natural, life long hair restoration is now available with the development of current, state-of-the-art techniques such as micrografting. The tufted, “pluggy look” of yesteryear has been consigned to history and your hairdresser will not even notice your micrograft hair transplant. Micrografting involves the transfer of small skin grafts containing from 1-3 hairs each from the lower, permanent hair-bearing scalp (the donor area) to the balding scalp. It is performed under local anaesthetic with minor sedation. Initially a strip of skin is removed and the donor area closed by dissolving sutures. The strip is dissected into small skin grafts under both microscope and low-power magnification and then meticulously planted into the bald or thinning areas of the scalp (recipient area). The creation of very small micrografts (sometimes called follicular units) allows very natural, feathered hairlines to be created avoiding the abrupt hairline of previous techniques. Minigrafts, containing 4-6 hairs, can in some cases be used behind the hairline for added density. The number of grafts used depends on the size of the area to be transplanted and density required by the patient. It usually varies between 300 and 1500 per procedure. Most patients require 2-3 procedures to achieve satisfactory density. In some cases involving continued hair loss, more procedures can be performed later (depending on the amount of remaining donor hair). Within 24 hours small crusts form on each graft which shed in approximately 7-10 days. Bandaging is usually not required. The grafted hairs usually commence growing in 6-15 weeks and grow at the normal rate of 1cm per month. The success rate is extremely high with over 90% survival of grafted hairs. These hairs will not become bald because of their genetic programming. In addition to medical skill, the artistic ability of the surgeon is vital in determining the placement and angling of the grafts to achieve the most natural result. The positioning and shaping of the hairline is crucial and is decided by mutual agreement between the patient and surgeon. Scalp reductions Scalp reductions are used in a small percentage of patients who have large areas of baldness (not thinning) in the vertex and crown areas. The natural flexibility of the scalp is utilised to remove significant portions of the bald scalp. This can be repeated in certain cases and can dramatically reduce the appearance of balding. Micrografting can then be used to cover the minor scar and restore the frontal hairline. Further Information Hair transplant procedures generally take from 3-6 hours and are performed using local or twilight anaesthesia and a mild sedative. The patient can go home the same day. There is usually little or no pain during the surgical procedure. A bandage may be used in some cases for the first 24 hours after the procedure to keep the grafts snug and secure overnight. The donor area, where permanent grafts are taken from, is closed with dissolvable sutures (stitches), eliminating the need for you to return for suture removal. |
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